ZTE reveals CES spread: phones, phablets, and a smartwatch

ZTE is one of those manufacturers that sees quite strong sales on a global level, but fails to really assert itself in our minds as a smartphone heavyweight. Still, we’ve been paying more attention to it lately, going hands-on with the Nubia 5, and hearing about some of the rumored next steps for the company, like its own smartwatch. With CES at the front of everyone’s minds, companies are getting early starts on announcing their new lineups, and today ZTE shares its CES roster, including that rumored smartwatch.

The ZTE BlueWatch will integrate a pedometer and connect over Bluetooth, and while it’s now official, those are the only real details we have. For specifics about the display, battery, compatibility, and even the design, we’ll have to track it down on the CES floor.

As for smartphones, ZTE introduces the Grand S II (original Grand S above), touted for its “high-precision voice” capabilities, as well as the Sonata 4G, with a budget-friendly Snapdragon 400 SoC (of the dual-core persuasion). Two new models in the Nubia lineup will be on display, even if ZTE already made them public late last year: the 5S and 5S mini. The larger will feature a five-inch 1080p panel and 13-megapixel camera, while the smaller will have a 4.7-inch 720p screen.

We also see ZTE announce the Iconic Phablet, with a 5.7-inch 720p screen and wireless charging, running a dual-core SoC – though, again, we’re hungry for additional details that just aren’t being provided. Lastly – and this is more on the fringes of our coverage – ZTE is launching its Projector Hotspot, which just as the name would suggest, doubles as a portable hotspot and a mini projector. Depending on price, resolution, and brightness, this one just might end up being pretty interesting.

Stephen has been writing about electronics since 2008, which only serves to frustrate him that he waited so long to combine his love of gadgets and his degree in writing. In his spare time, he collects console and arcade game hardware, is a motorcycle enthusiast, and enjoys trapping blue crabs. Stephen's first mobile device was a 624 MHz Dell Axim X30, which he's convinced is still a viable platform. Stephen longs for a market where phones are sold independently of service, and bandwidth is cheap and plentiful; he's not holding his breath. In the meantime, he devours smartphone news and tries to sort out the juicy bitsRead more about Stephen Schenck!